Olga the Cloud

August 1, 2014
A cloud's gotta do what a cloud's gotta do. Happy Olga just drifts through the sky with a smile on her face as she observes all the sights around and below her. Wanting to rest (and maybe "make a little rain"), she looks around for a suitable location. The moon does not want her. A cat scares her. A mother hen shoos her off. A woman hanging laundry to dry angrily tells her to leave; she doesn't want any rain on her clean clothing! Finally, Olga receives sage advice from a bird and joins other clouds to do what clouds in company do-"make a big wonderful rain." It is a happy ending with a moral reminiscent of Leo Lionni's classic Swimmy. There is strength and purpose in numbers. Costa is Italian, and this title, smoothly translated, is a lovely little tale. The art, rendered in India ink, acrylic paint and pastel, is delicate and appealing. The palette is a lovely assortment of blues for the sky and the water. Animals, trees and happy-faced clouds are all outlined in fine black lines. A beguiling ode to gentle rain. (Picture book. 3-6)

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August 1, 2014

PreS-K-A rosy-cheeked cloud named Olga is having a rough day. Pollution, pointy treetops, and creatures averse to rain make for an unwelcoming world. But patience pays off, and when she finds a community of clouds, she gleefully lets her rain loose. Costa's jaunty cartoons teem with festive patterns. Her descriptive text is spare, and early readers may take to this simplicity while the younger set will find good cheer in the india ink, acrylic paint, and pastel illustrations.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

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